Tagged: “family”

Please note: the 2018 Lenten Devotional is available here. Lent begins this Wednesday, with Valentine’s Day falling on Ash Wednesday. Many people have commented that this seems like a strange combination. But, what if Lent is less about pointing out our flaws with an ashy X and more about finding our potential to LOVE both […]

Lent begins next week, on Wednesday, February 14th. This season of getting ready for Easter is traditionally a serious time of contemplation about how to live as a follower of Jesus. Easter. People commonly associate Lent with giving up chocolate or meat. Others pick up something during Lent, like a prayer time, Sabbath*, reading , […]

This week’s and next week’s lectionary texts are stories of Jesus healing from the book of Mark, 1:21-28 & 1:29-39. These passages challenge us to face some of life’s difficult questions. Why aren’t all the people we pray for healed? How do we understand the miracles that Jesus performed? And, what is an “unclean spirit?” […]

By Christine V Hides, Director of Ministries with Children and Youth Last week we used a Facebook poll to ask where families were finding time and space to practice faith as a family. Not surprisingly, “Finding time is hard” was the most popular answer. Bedtime and at the table were tied for second place. My […]

This week in church, we played in the water, sprinkling and splashing ourselves, joyfully experiencing our beloved-ness, remembering God’s love and grace present through the baptismal covenant. In this week’s activity you are invited to explore the mystery and the significance of baptism together. Directions: Have each person select an image of water that reminds them […]

For me, this picture is a wonderful illustration of what we hope to nurture at NUMC: wonder, excitement, interaction, joy, and relationships with God and diverse people. With input from youth and adult leaders, I have developed our year-long faith formation lesson plan that I hope captures the spirit of this image. Faith formation classes […]

On Palm Sunday, we combined our Sunday school classes into one amazing group of 19. We heard the stories of Holy Week one more time as we created butterfly flags which will be on display Easter Sunday. The colors, the glitter, and the safety pin each remind us of a part of the story. Please ask […]

Perhaps you were wondering what we were cutting on Sunday morning during church?! They are hand prints to use for a Palm Sunday group art project! During the remaining weeks of Lent, we will be focusing on the last week of Jesus’s life, the events of Holy Week. Our youth class will be responding to psalms […]

By Christine Hides, Director of Ministries with Children and Youth Ash Wednesday, March 1 is the beginning of Lent. During the season of 40 days (not counting Sundays) of Lent we prepare our hearts, minds, and bodies for the great mystery of Easter. We can choose to use this time to use spiritual practices which […]

As we enter the new year, I find myself thinking about personal resolutions that would help me to live a healthier, happier life. I want to grow as a person, but recognize that I have a limited amount of time. I am wary, yet hopeful, that I can find realistic ways to nourish my mind, […]